Our "green" craft day

Ever since I bit the bullet and started using my sewing machine, I've become more confident in trying new things. I've got 2 partial quilts under my belt (and the instructions on how to finish them, finally! I can't wait to give it a shot!) as well as a few other projects. I made a new cover for Jack's boppy pillow. I am completely perplexed on how a baby item has the most stiff and uncomfortable cover on it. So I found a flannel material and it is much softer now! I give myself a pat on the back because that's a hard shape to do!

Anyway, fast forward to this weekend, and the girls and got busy with some "green" projects. Josh and I aren't huge tree huggers, but we try to do what we can. We are pretty diligent about recycling and not wasting water that kind of stuff. In the last year we jumped on the reusable grocery bag band wagon and stopped using so many plastic bags at the store. Well, it kind of opens your eyes to things you are wasteful about. Every morning we pack up milk and cereal to bring to work. So every morning I fill up a zip lock baggie with cereal, just to toss it an hour later once I've eaten. Seems a bit like a waste to me... and as much as I like to recycle I'm not big on reusing 'disposable' items either... I don't want to be that creepy person in the office with a zip lock baggie she's been using for 3 months and its crusty and gross. So call me a bit superficial, whatever LOL. ANYWAYS... that lead me to google "reusable sandwich baggies.." well who knew there was a whole market out there for that! Low and behold.. we made our own!

Once I had one under my belt, the rest came together quickly, and the girls love any opportunity to pick out some fabric and use the sewing machine. This offered great practice for them, straight lines are a cinch! They are lined with a water proof vinyl sort of material, and have a velcro closure. It's way easy to turn them inside out and wash them.

Another item I feel like I waste is produce bags at the grocery store... half of them I fill at the store just to empty into the fruit basket as soon as I get home. I started to reuse them at the store.. but again.. it just felt kinda icky. So sure enough I googled that and found an easy pattern. I like that I can make them any size... to fit an apple or two, or a stalk of celery. If they get mucky, I can just toss them in the wash!

So I don't think my little craft projects are going to stop global warming or end all of our problems but I think every little thing you do helps in its own tiny way, and if you end up doing lots of little things.. it's still better than doing nothing!

Besides.... its a fun excuse to make things :)